Harper Government Marks the 70th Birthday of Princess Margriet, Dutch Princess Born in Canada

OTTAWA, Jan. 18, 2013 /CNW/ - Today, Rod Bruinooge, Member of Parliament
(Winnipeg South), on behalf of the Honourable James Moore, Minister of
Canadian Heritage and Official Languages, participated in a special
flag raising ceremony on Parliament Hill to mark the 70th birthday, tomorrow, of Princess Margriet of the Netherlands. The
Princess was born in the Ottawa Civic Hospital's maternity ward on
January 19, 1943.

"Today, we raise the Dutch flag on Parliament Hill once again, where it
will fly until sunset tomorrow, the day of the Princess' 70th birthday," said Mr. Bruinooge. "The birth of Princess Margriet
established a special relationship between our two countries."

During the occupation of the Netherlands in the Second World War, the
Dutch royal family was offered a safe haven in Ottawa, where Princess
Juliana, the only heir to the Dutch throne, gave birth to Princess
Margriet. In an extraordinary demonstration of friendship and
solidarity with the Dutch people, the Government of Canada temporarily
declared the room at the hospital to be of extraterritorial
jurisdiction, which meant the new Princess could enjoy full Dutch
citizenship and stay in the line of succession. In celebration of the
birth, the Dutch flag flew on the Peace Tower that day in Ottawa.

"The gift of tulips sent to Canada by the Dutch royal family in
gratitude—after the war and every year since—inspired our world-famous
Tulip Festival," said Minister Moore. "On behalf of Prime Minister
Stephen Harper and the Government of Canada, I invite all Canadians to
celebrate this special day."

Mr. Bruinooge was joined by Parliamentary Secretary Rick Dykstra and
Rochus Pronk, Chargé d'Affaires and Deputy Head of Mission, Embassy of
the Kingdom of the Netherlands to Canada.